Manama : His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, issued Edict (61) of 2024 regarding halal products in the Kingdom of Bahrain, based on the presentation of the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture and following the approval of the Cabinet. The edict includes the following provisions:
Article (I)
Definitions
For the purposes of this edict, the following terms shall have the definitions assigned to them, unless the context indicates otherwise:
Kingdom: the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Ministry: the ministry responsible for municipal affairs.
Minister: the minister responsible for municipal affairs.
Competent authority: the Animal Health Directorate at the Ministry.
Standard specifications: a document specifying, for regular and repeated use, the rules, guidelines, or characteristics of products, processes, and production methods, which are non-binding unless otherwise stated.
National standard specifications: standards approved by the National Committee for Standardisation and Metrology under the ministry responsible for commerce affairs.
Technical regulations: mandatory documents detailing the characteristics of products, processes, and production methods, including related administrative rules.
National technical regulations: regulations approved by the National Committee for Standardisation and Metrology under the ministry responsible for commerce affairs.
Halal certificate: a document certifying that products meet halal requirements.
Halal products: food products and related services compliant with Islamic Law and meeting the requirements specified in the national technical regulations.
Production systems: integrated processes related to halal products designed to achieve specific predetermined objectives.
Registration: the ministry’s inclusion of an entity among those recognised to perform specific tasks related to this edict.
Halal auditing entity: a registered entity, operating locally or internationally, responsible for verifying compliance with halal requirements.
Accreditation: the certification by an accreditation body of the competence of the halal auditing entity to perform its functions.
Accreditation body: an entity recognised by the ministry to accredit external halal auditing entities.
Supply chain: all stages through which a product passes, from initial production to consumption, including import, export, manufacturing, preparation, handling, packaging, storage, and distribution.
Supplier: any manufacturer, transporter, packager, processor, agent, or distributor, with a legal representative responsible for importing halal products.
Establishment: any facility involved in handling halal products within the supply chain.
National halal mark: the mark approved by the ministry and affixed by licensed entities to halal products.
Labelling: any written, printed, branded, or attached information on a product’s packaging that carries its information and is unremovable.
Article (II)
Scope of Application
This edict applies to all halal products, including production systems related to these products.
Article (III)
Halal Product Oversight
The Ministry shall oversee halal products and conduct the following:
1. Receive and register applications from halal auditing entities.
2. Provide training and awareness programmes on halal products.
Article (IV)
National Halal Mark
The Minister shall issue a decision defining the shape of the national halal mark, procedures for obtaining its licence, conditions, fees, validity periods, and other related provisions.
Article (V)
Halal Product Requirements
Halal products must meet the following general requirements:
1. Compliance with Islamic law.
2. Adherence to national standard specifications and technical regulations.
3. Application of internationally recognised quality management systems that are applied by the Ministry, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygiene Practices (GHP).
4. Any additional requirements issued by the Minister.
Article (VI)
Accreditation Body Responsibilities
Accreditation bodies must:
1. Ensure the competence of external halal auditing entities.
2. Cooperate with the Ministry in implementing this edict.
3. Fulfil any additional requirements issued by the Minister.
Article (II)
Halal Auditing Entity Responsibilities
The halal auditing entities must:
1. Comply with the national halal mark regulations.
2. Supervise and monitor establishments for compliance.
3. Fulfil any additional requirements issued by the Minister.
Article (VIII)
Establishment Responsibilities
Establishments must:
1. Adhere to national standard specifications and technical regulations.
2. Obtain halal certification from registered auditing entities.
3. Affix proper labelling to halal products.
4. Meet any additional requirements issued by the Minister.
Article (IX)
Supplier Responsibilities
Suppliers must:
1. Provide halal certification or reports as evidence of compliance when requested.
2. Follow national halal mark regulations.
3. Affix labeling to halal products.
4. Comply with any additional requirements issued by the Minister.
Article (X)
Prohibitions
It is prohibited to:
1. Use the national halal mark after licence expiration or revocation.
2. Use the national halal mark on non-halal products or in a misleading manner.
3. Use the national halal mark in violation of this edict.
Article (XI)
Service Fees
The Minister, with Cabinet approval, shall issue a decision specifying fees for services provided under this edict.
Article (XII)
Inspection and Oversight
Authorised Ministry staff may sample products to verify their compliance. Entities subject to this edict must facilitate inspections and provide necessary documentation.
Article (XIII)
Administrative Measures
Without prejudice to civil or criminal liability, committing any violation of the provisions of this edict shall constitute as an act of commercial fraud. The Minister responsible for commerce affairs is authorised to take the following measures:
1. Issue a warning to the violating entity, based on a recommendation by the competent authority within the Ministry responsible for commerce affairs, through a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, requiring rectification of the violation within a specified period. If the entity fails to comply, the Minister may issue a decision to seize the non-compliant products until the cause of the violation is resolved or a court ruling is issued.
2. Notify the violating entity to take measures for withdrawing the non-compliant products from markets or storage facilities.
3. Initiate procedures for withdrawing non-compliant products at the expense of the violating entity.
4. Destroy the non-compliant products.
Article (XIV)
Compliance Adjustment
Halal auditing entities, suppliers, and establishments must comply with this edict within no more than one year of its enactment.
Article (XV)
Implementation Decisions
The Minister shall issue implementation decisions. Existing regulations remain in force unless they conflict with this edict.
Article (XVI)
Enforcement
This edict shall take effect one year from its publication in the Official Gazette.
